System and method for selecting ergonomic sleep components with mattress selection system providing input for pillow selection system

ABSTRACT

A method is provided for selecting a pillow and mattress based upon an empirical measurement of an individual&#39;s pillow selection criteria, mattress selection criteria and sleep characteristics. In accordance with the method, an individual&#39;s position on a diagnostic mattress and a controller associated with the diagnostic mattress is operated to measure a pressure of the air mattress via a pressure sensor. The measured pressure of the individual positioned on the diagnostic mattress is correlated to a recommended support level. The individual&#39;s recommended support level is correlated to a support characteristic thereby allowing the individual to select a fixed support structure. A system incorporating the principles of the method is also disclosed.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

“This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No.11/610,776, filed on Dec. 14, 2006, currently pending, which is acontinuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 11/184,427, filed on Jul.19, 2005, now abandoned, and a continuation-in-part of application Ser.No. 11/399,059, filed Apr. 6, 2006, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,467,058, issuedDec. 19, 2008, the disclosures of which are incorporated by referenceherein”.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This disclosure presents additional systems and methods for selecting apillow and mattress, which build upon the inventor's previouslydeveloped systems as disclosed and claimed in the applications set forthabove.

Most everyone desires a good night's rest. Choosing the right pillow fora person's mattress and sleep characteristics is essential to ensuring arestful sleep. The correct pillow enhances a person's sleep by adding tothe comfort of the mattress. The correct pillow also ensures properspinal alignment. Selecting the wrong pillow can result in an improperneck, shoulder, and spinal alignment which can result in poor sleepefficiency and/or pain.

However, choosing the correct pillow for a person's mattress and sleepcharacteristics can be difficult. There are many different types ofpillows available on the market today. Some vary in content (i.e., foam,fiber, air, or water), and some vary in shape (i.e., contour, flat,bulky, wide, or narrow). Pillows also vary in height and width, and incompression or interload force deflection (“IFD”). Soft pillows have arelatively low IFD while firm pillows have a relatively high IFD. Thenumber of choices of pillows increases the probability that a personwill select the wrong pillow for his or her mattress and sleepcharacteristics.

One major variable affecting pillow selection is a person's sleepingposition. A person may prefer to sleep on their side, back, stomach ormay alternate between these positions. Some research has shown that 68%of the U.S. population sleeps on their side, 16% on their back, 8% ontheir stomach and 8% use multiple positions. Moreover, the position thata person prefers in order to fall asleep may be different than theperson's predominant position while sleeping.

Furthermore, the number of different types of mattresses available onthe market compounds the problem. For instance, certain types of pillowscomplement foam mattresses, while others work best with waterbeds. Sometypes of pillows work better with innerspring mattresses, and yet otherswork better with air beds. While each of these types of mattresses maybe generally categorized as a plush or soft, medium, or firm, therelative firmness of a pillow must complement the relative firmness ofthe mattress. Although compression tests may also be used to objectivelymeasure the firmness of these types of mattresses, many people do notcorrectly categorize the relative firmness of their mattress.

Consumers generally have a challenging time verbalizing to the retailsalesperson what they want in a mattress, and consequently, a pillow.This inability to verbalize the characteristics of a mattress, and thusa pillow, creates a disconnect between a consumer and a salesperson inthe typical retail environment. Often in the retail environment when aconsumer walks into a store and asks to see a mattress, the salespersonlikely posits the question, “What kind of a mattress are you lookingfor?” The customer usually then replies, “Firm,” “Supportive,”“Pillowtop,” or “The one that's on sale.” This exchange is unproductive.None of the consumer's answers help the salesperson understand how tomatch a mattress, and thus a pillow, with the consumer's specific needs.Many times a consumer will think they want a “firm mattress.” However,after sampling several “firm mattresses” offered by the salesperson andobjecting to them because they “feel too hard,” consumers eventuallycome to the realization that what they really need is a medium or plushmattress. Unfortunately, this process of repeatedly sampling mattressesoffered by the salesperson tends to frustrate the consumer. More oftenthan not, frustrated with the sales experience, the consumer will leavethe store and postpone the purchase of a mattress to another day—lessoften will the consumer doggedly persist through the sampling process tofinally arrive at a mattress that fits his or her needs. Without knowingwhat type of mattress is desired or needed, the consumer cannotefficiently select a pillow.

Ultimately, the consumer is looking for a better night's sleep and wantsto purchase a quality mattress and pillow to improve their chances ofachieving this. Further complicating the mattress selection process isthe fact that there are two main variables affecting a consumer'spurchasing decision, comfort and support. In order to find a qualitypillow and mattress that meets the consumer's needs, they must have theright combination of both comfort and support. However, whether aquality mattress has the right combination of comfort and support forparticular consumer is a very subjective individualized assessment.Currently, this assessment is made through the verbal exchange of thesalesperson and consumer, as explained above. And as explained above,defining comfort or support verbally is not an easy task, and one whichcan easily frustrate the sales process and result in the consumer eitherleaving the store or choosing a mattress and/or pillow that is not agood fit for him or her. In the latter case, the store must then dealwith returns, unhappy customers and/or lost profits.

Compounding the problem is that most consumers test a prospective newmattress while lying on their backs. Most consumers and salespersonsignore that approximately 65% of consumers actually sleep on their side.A mattress that feels good when one is lying on his or her back does notnecessarily feel good when one is lying on his or her side. When lyingon one's side, one will generate additional surface pressure as his orher weight is dispersed over a smaller area. In addition, when lying onone's side, the profile of the body is more generally pronounced. Inother words, in the side lying position, the vertical height differencebetween the shoulder and the waist is generally greater than thevertical height difference between the lumbar and buttocks in the backlying (supine) position. This difference in weight distribution resultsin different pressure points for a side sleeper and a back sleeper.Thus, depending upon whether the consumer is predominantly a sidesleeper or a back sleeper, the support structure of the mattress and thetype of pillow may need to be substantially different. Because ofdifferences in a consumer's body profile and pressure points in thepredominant sleep position, it is important for a consumer to definecomfort and support in terms of his or her predominant sleep position.

With all of these variables, it is often difficult for a consumer todetermine the proper pillow and mattress for their individual use. Inthe case of a pillow, they are often purchased from mass merchants wherethere is no consultative selling. Consequently, many consumers chose thewrong pillow for their type use. Even in a situation where the consumeris purchasing from a store that has professional sales assistance (i.e.,mattress stores, furniture stores, and department stores), time andtraining constraints make it difficult for these salespeople tosufficiently probe the consumer as to his or her pillow, mattress andsleep characteristics, and process this information correctly so as todetermine the appropriate pillow and mattress for the consumer. It isclear that an effective tool to assist consumers in the selection of aproper mattress and pillow is needed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is in view of the above problems that the present invention wasdeveloped. In one aspect of the invention, a method is provided. Inaccordance with the method, a diagnostic mattress comprising an airmattress with a controller and an air pump is provided. The controlleris adapted to control the air pump to vary pressure within the airmattress. The air pump has a pressure sensor adapted to sense pressurewithin the air mattress, and the controller is adapted to activate thepressure sensor to measure pressure within the air mattress. Anindividual is positioned on the diagnostic mattress. The controller isoperated to measure a pressure of the air mattress via the pressuresensor with the individual positioned on the diagnostic mattress. Themeasured pressure of the individual positioned on the diagnosticmattress is correlated to a recommended support level associated withthe individual. The individual's recommended support level is correlatedto a support characteristic of a plurality of mattresses having a fixedsupport structure in a way sufficient to allow the individual to selecta fixed support structure support characteristic generally equal to theindividual's recommended support level as determined from the diagnosticmattress.

In another aspect of the invention, a system is provided. The systemcomprises a diagnostic mattress comprising an air mattress with acontroller and an air pump. The controller is adapted to control the airpump to vary pressure within the air mattress. The air pump has apressure sensor adapted to sense pressure within the air mattress, andthe controller has an actuator to actuate the pressure sensor to measurepressure within the air mattress with the individual positioned on thediagnostic mattress. The controller is configured to correlate themeasured pressure of the individual positioned on the diagnosticmattress to a recommended support level associated with the individualand to generate a report correlating the individual's recommendedsupport level to a support characteristic of a fixed support structureof a mattress in a plurality of mattresses. The report is sufficient toallow the individual to select a fixed support structure supportcharacteristic generally equal to the individual's recommended supportlevel as determined from the diagnostic mattress based upon the report.

In another aspect of the disclosure, a system is provided that isadapted to recommend ergonomic sleep components to an individual. Thesystem has an air mattress with a controller and an air pump. Thecontroller is adapted to control the air pump to vary pressure withinthe air mattress. The air pump has a pressure sensor adapted to sensepressure within the air mattress, and the controller has an actuator toactuate the pressure sensor to measure pressure within the air mattresswith the individual positioned on the air mattress. The controller isconfigured to correlate the measured pressure of the individualpositioned on the air mattress to a recommended support level associatedwith the individual and to generate a report correlating theindividual's recommended support level to a support characteristic of afixed support structure of a mattress in a plurality of mattresses. Thereport is sufficient to allow the individual to select a fixed supportstructure support characteristic generally equal to the individual'srecommended support level as determined from the diagnostic mattressbased solely upon the report. The system includes a computer systemcomprising a processor, a database configured to store data relating topillows including pillow models, a user interface adapted to receive atleast one pillow selection criteria associated with the individual anddisplay a recommended pillow model to the individual, and a computerprogram contained on a computer readable medium having instructionsexecutable by the processor for receiving a plurality of pillowselection criteria associated with the individual including theindividual's recommended support level; and determining at least onepillow model based on the individual's recommended support level andpillow selection criteria.

Further features and advantages of the present invention, as well as thestructure and operation of various embodiments, are described in detailbelow with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part ofthe specification, illustrate the embodiments disclosed herein.

FIG. 1 shows implementation of one embodiment of a pillow and mattressselection system employed in a retail store environment comprising akiosk where a customer can input his or her pillow, mattress and sleepcharacteristics into the system;

FIGS. 2-16 show graphical displays of the system allowing a customer toinput his or her pillow, mattress and sleep characteristics;

FIG. 17 shows one embodiment of a mattress selection portion of thesystem with a diagnostic mattress having an adjustable support structureand a control therefore;

FIG. 18 shows a flow chart for obtaining a desired support level of anindividual and correlating the individual's desired support level to asupport characteristic of a plurality of mattresses having fixed supportstructures to allow the individual to select a fixed support structuresupport characteristic generally equal to the individual's desiredsupport level;

FIG. 19 shows a flow chart for obtaining the recommended support levelof an individual and correlating the individual's recommended supportlevel to a support characteristic of a plurality of mattresses havingfixed support structures to allow the individual to select a fixedsupport structure support characteristic generally equal to theindividual's recommended support level;

FIG. 20 shows one embodiment of an indicator of a controller of a singlechamber diagnostic mattress similar to that shown in FIG. 17 displayinginformation related to a individual's desired level of support and anindex to allow the individual to select a mattress with a fixed supportstructure that corresponds to the individual's desired level of supportand a pillow that complements the desired mattress; and

FIG. 21 shows an alternative embodiment of an indicator of a controllerof a multi-chamber diagnostic mattress similar to that shown in FIG. 17displaying information related to a individual's desired level ofsupport for each chamber and an index to allow the individual to selecta mattress with a fixed support structure that corresponds to theindividual's desired level of support and a complementary pillow.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSED EMBODIMENTS

As set forth in the parent applications, the inventor has conducted,reviewed and analyzed extensive research and studies to assist indetermining the proper head, neck, and spinal alignment for variouspillow types for various sleeping positions based upon various firmnesslevels of mattresses, as well as other relevant pillow selectioncriteria as discussed herein and in the inventor's parent applications.This information was then interpreted, correlated and extrapolated topopular pillow products available on the market and most likely to bestocked by a retail, catalog or online establishment. A databasecontaining all of this information was then created. Based on thedatabase information, it was then determined which pillow or pillowssubjectively give a user having certain pillow selection criteria themost comfort.

Two pillow selection criteria found to be the most critical in thepillow selection process are: (1) the type of mattress, that is, whetherthe mattress is firm, medium or soft; and (2) the preferred sleepingposition, that is, side, back, stomach, or a combination thereof. Forinstance, persons sleeping on their sides were found to generally have agreater need for a pillow with a high loft and/or a higher IFD to keeptheir head in alignment with their neck and spine while lying on thepillow. A side sleeper on a plush mattress was found to not need as tallof a pillow as a side sleeper on a firm mattress since the shoulder ofthe side sleeper was found to dip into the mattress deeper on a plushmattress than a firm mattress, thus reducing the distance between theperson's head and the mattress. Persons sleeping on their backs weregenerally found to be more comfortable with contour pillows as thecontoured pillow provided support to the neck and opened up their airpassages to breathe more freely. Other pillow selection criteriaidentified as relevant to the pillow selection process include, withoutlimitation, a person's gender, height, propensity to snore, and thepresence or absence of allergies, shoulder pain, and neck pain.

As will become evident from the discussion that follows, the content ofthe database may vary. Such variations may occur for several reasons,including without limitation changes in the pillow products available onthe market, and additions or deletions of pillow selection criteria thatare identified as relevant to the pillow selection process. The databasemay also vary in the way that certain pillow products are correlated toa desired or recommended pillow characteristic.

FIG. 1 shows an implementation of a system 100 for selecting a mattressand pillow in accordance with one embodiment of the present inventionemployed in a retail store environment. The system 100 of FIG. 1comprises a computer 110 and a database (not shown) having data relatedto mattress and pillow selection criteria and mattress and pillowmodels. The system may be in the form of a personal computer, a kiosk orany other device having a display 128, a processor 130 and means for auser to input information. The input means may be a keyboard, a “touchscreen”, a mouse, or any other device that allows the purchaser to inputinformation. Pillow selection software installed on or accessible viathe processor 130 is configured to retrieve the recommended pillow andmattress model for a user based upon the user's inputted pillowselection criteria. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the processor 130is connected to a central server 134 via a local area network to whichother computers, such as order processing computers, in the store mayalso be connected. However, the pillow selection device mayalternatively and/or also comprise one or more standalone PCs on whichthe pillow selection software is installed locally. The pillow selectionsoftware can also be made available through the Internet such that anydevice having Internet access (e.g., computer, phone, PDAs, etc.) andmeans for inputting information may be used. A printer (not shown) mayalso be provided to allow the purchaser to print the recommended pillowmodel, the pillow selection criteria associated therewith, a mattressmodel, mattress selection criteria, and/or other related pillow andmattress information.

With further reference to FIGS. 2-16, the pillow selection software isaccessed via the display 128. In one embodiment, the plurality of pillowselection criteria are displayed in the form of questions to aprospective pillow purchaser. The pillow selection software defines aset of available answers corresponding to each question. Below is alisting of questions used to develop the pillow selection criteria, thequestions and answers may be as follows:

Screen No. Question Answer Set 1 (FIG. 2) What size mattress are youTwin, Double, Queen, King shopping for? 2 (FIG. 3) Does movement by yoursleep Always, Sometimes, Never partner disturb your sleep? 3 (FIG. 4)What is your height? (less than 5′ 6″), (5′ 6″ to 6′), (6′ 1′ or taller)4 (FIG. 5) What is your gender Male, Female 5 (FIG. 6) In what positiondo you Side, Back, Stomach, Multiple generally fall sleep? 6 (FIG. 7) Inwhat position do you Side, Back, Stomach, Multiple generally wake up? 7(FIG. 8) How often do you experience Frequently, Occasionally, Seldom,tossing and turning? Never 8 (FIG. 9) Please indicate any areas Head,Shoulders, Arms, Hips, where you experience pain or Legs, Lower-Back,Mid-Back, discomfort while in bed? Upper Back, Neck, Never  9 (FIG. 10)Do you have any of these Asthma, Snoring, Arthritis, Poor healthconcerns? Circulation, None 10 (FIG. 11) Do you have allergies? Dust,Latex, Other, Mold, Feathers/Down, None 11 (FIG. 12) Have you slept onyour existing pillow Yes, No for more than one year? 12 (FIG. 13) Howlong have you slept on 1-5 years, 6-10 years, Over 10 your existingmattress? years 13 (FIG. 14) Please position yourself on the diagnosticmattress so the system can complete the process that will determine yourideal mattress and pillow selection 14 (FIG. 15) What is your mattressComfort 1 (Plush), 2 (Medium) 3 (Medium), Index as determined by the 4(Firm) diagnostic process? 15 (FIG. 16) The system recommends theDisplay recommended pillow, following pillow and sleep alternate pillowsand accessory choices to fit your complementary products, togetherpersonal sleep position and with their availability, stock no. andneeds. price

In each case, the prospective purchaser is prompted to select his or hertype of mattress. The answer to the purchaser's type of mattress may bebased upon an empirical measure of a purchaser's desired support level,as measured on a diagnostic mattress, for instance, the support index orcomfort index, or may be subjective based upon the purchaser's ownfeelings of mattress characteristics, for instance, “Plush,” “Medium,”or “Firm.” However, the selection of a mattress may also be performedsolely via empirical pressure measurements of the individual reposing onthe diagnostic mattress without direct and subjective input from theindividual.

In FIG. 16, the system recommends at least one mattress pad and/ortopper based on the purchaser's inputted pillow selection criteria. Inanother embodiment, the pillow selection system also prints a documenthaving the recommended pillow model identified on it, thereby allowingthe purchaser, as described previously, to either go to a bin displayingthe pillow model to obtain the recommended pillow, or give to asalesperson to complete the purchase. The system may also preferablystore a purchaser's pillow selection criteria as a “personal profile,”thereby allowing the purchaser to retrieve, modify, or update their“personal profile,” as necessary. The system may also allow the customerto input a salesperson's name and survey information about thesalesperson and the store.

The graphical displays generated by the pillow selection software arepreferably chosen to increase the user friendliness of the pillowselection process and the pleasure of the shopping experience, and/orenhance the promotion and advertising of the pillows, related productsand/or the establishment. For instance, when the purchaser inputs his orher gender, a graphic resembling a male or female form appears on thescreen, as applicable. In an alternate embodiment, the graphics areself-intuitive so that once they appear, the purchaser is prompted torespond without the need for a textual prompt. For example, figuresshowing individuals in the various sleep positions could be used. In thecase of the height pillow selection criteria, a graphic resembling themale or female form may increase or decrease in scale according to thepurchaser's selection. When the purchaser has selected his or herpredominant sleeping position, a graphic resembling the male or femaleform may become animated and move to the selected sleeping position.Likewise, when the firmness level of the mattress is input, a graphic ofa male or female form shown lying on the mattress and the relationshipof the mattress to the body position may be shown. For example, a sidesleeper on a plush mattress is shown as having the shoulder dipping intothe mattress as compared to a side sleeper on a firm mattress whoseshoulder is shown without a mattress impression.

Once the prospective pillow purchaser has input all of the relevantpillow selection criteria, a graphic such as that shown in FIG. 16identifying one or more pillow models that meet his or her particularpillow selection criteria may be displayed. In one embodiment, thepillow selection software may provide the prospective purchaser with atleast one or more recommended substitute pillow models in the event hisor her recommended pillow model is not available, and correspondingpricing information to assist the purchaser in his or her purchasingdecision. In a preferred embodiment, the pillow selection softwareinterfaces with the establishment's order entry system allowing thepurchaser to purchase a pillow directly from the pillow selectiondevice.

As described previously, ideally a retailer will have an inventory ofpillows corresponding to all possible pillow models. However, as apractical matter, retailers often only carry certain types of the mostcommon pillow models or substitutes therefor. Accordingly, the pillowselection software preferably allows the retailer to customize thedatabase. The database also preferably interacts with a retailestablishment's inventory control system to provide the purchaser withoptions in selecting a pillow in the event the recommended pillow modelis out of stock.

As described above, a pillow is selected to preferably complementspecific mattress characteristics. Given the problems inherent incorrectly determining characteristics of a mattress, the inventor hascontinued his work and developed a method and system for empiricallymeasuring an individual's desired level of support and comfort for amattress utilizing the techniques disclosed in the inventor's parentapplication directed to mattress selection systems and methods. A briefoverview of the mattress selection method and portion of the system willbe described below.

FIG. 17 provides a general overview of the mattress selection portion ofthe system as employed in a retail environment, as described in one theparent applications. A diagnostic mattress with an adjustable supportstructure is shown generally indicated by reference character 120.Connected to the adjustable support structure 122 is a controller 124for selectively adjusting a level of support in the support structure.An indicator 126 is provided on the controller 124 to indicate thesupport level of the adjustable support structure. A large screendisplay 128 and processor 130 may also be provided as a controller foradjusting the adjustable support structure 122. These items may beintegrated with the pillow selection portion of the system previouslydescribed. In one embodiment as shown in FIG. 17, the adjustable supportstructure comprises an air mattress and the controller 124 controls anair pump 132 to vary pressure within the air mattress. The air pump 132has a pressure 134 sensor adapted to sense pressure within the airmattress, and the controller is adapted to activate the pressure sensorto measure pressure within the air mattress.

Referring to FIGS. 17, 18 and 19, in operation, a consumer 150 ispositioned on the diagnostic mattress 120 and the adjustable supportstructure 122 is adjusted using the controller 124 in accordance with adesired level of support of the consumer. Alternatively, the controllerof the diagnostic mattress is operated to obtain the pressure sensormeasurement within the mattress with the individual positioned on thediagnostic mattress. The pressure sensor measurement corresponds to arecommended level of support. Preferably, the consumer 150 is directedto lie on the diagnostic mattress 120 in his or her predominant sleepposition. Thus, while the consumer shown in FIG. 17 is lying on his orher back, it should be appreciated that the consumer could be on his orher side or stomach, if either of these were the preferred sleepingposition. The level of support of the adjustable support structure isvaried with the controller 124 as desired by the consumer until theconsumer is satisfied with the level of support and comfort. In thisway, the consumer may render an otherwise subjective criteria of supportand comfort to an objective measurement, which in turn helps theconsumer and salesperson efficiently select a pillow that complementsthe customer's mattress. Alternatively, a pressure measurement viapressure sensor 134 of the air pump 132 of the air mattress is obtainedand used to develop the support/comfort index for selecting arecommended mattress. With this general overview, more detailed aspectsof the embodiment invention follow below.

Diagnostic Mattress and Controller

As described previously, the diagnostic mattress 120 includes acontroller 124 for adjusting the level of support of the adjustablesupport structure 122. The diagnostic mattress and/or adjustable supportstructure may be a conventional air mattress configured for retail saleto an end-user customer without modification, thereby increasingsaleable, supply stocks located on the floor space of a retailestablishment. In such an embodiment, the air pump 132 and the pressuresensor 134 are adapted to sense pressure within the air mattress, andthe controller is adapted to activate the pressure sensor to measurepressure within the air mattress. Preferably, the controller 124 is ahand held controller with the indicator 126 indicating the relativelevel of support of the adjustable support structure, for instance, thepressure in the air mattress via a pressure sensor. Depending upon thetype of adjustable support structure, the controller will vary. Forinstance, when the adjustable support structure is configured as asingle chamber air mattress, the controller will be similar to acontroller 160 shown in FIG. 20 and include an indicator 162 andcontrols 164 to adjust the amount of air pressure in the air mattress,and an actuator 165 to obtain the pressure measurement of the airmattress. Preferably, the indicator has a scale 166 indicating arelative amount of air pressure in the air mattress and a correspondingnumeric representation 168 of the scale. In the embodiment shown inFIGS. 20 and 21, the numeric representation extends from 1 to 100 where1 is an extremely low level of air pressure in the air mattress and 100is the maximum amount of air pressure in the mattress. However, thenumeric representation may be any range of numbers.

FIG. 21 shows a controller 170 of another embodiment of the presentinvention where the adjustable support structure comprises athree-chamber air mattress. In the three chamber air mattresscontemplated by the inventor, the chambers that are aligned to theuser's feet and head are in fluid communication and separated from thechamber aligned to the user's lumber region. The controller 170 includesan indicator 172 and controls for separately selecting the level ofsupport for both the foot and head region 174, and the lumbar region176. The controller indicator 172 displays three scales: one for each ofthe foot and head region 178, and one for the lumbar region 180 of theair mattress. The controller indicator also displays a numericrepresentation of each scale, i.e., one for each of the foot and headregion 182, and one for the lumbar region 184 of the air mattress. Inthe embodiment shown in FIG. 21, the numeric representations 182, 184extend from 1 to 100 for each chamber where 1 is an extremely low levelof air pressure in the respective chamber and 100 is the maximum amountof air pressure in the respective chamber. Again, it should beappreciated that the numeric representations may be any range ofnumbers. Each of the controllers shown in FIGS. 20 and 21 may alsoinclude a control 190 for automatically adjusting the mattress to themaximum level of support, a memory button 192 for remembering a level ofsupport and another button for displaying a comfort index 194 as will bediscussed in greater detail below. To simplify the controls, eachindividual button may be programmed to accomplish different functionsbased upon the time the button is depressed. For instance, the memorybutton may be programmed to obtain the pressure measurement whendepressed for a period of one to two seconds, and a memory function whendepressed for five to six seconds.

Support Index

A consumer's desired level of support may established by adjusting theadjustable support structure 122 in accordance with the consumer'sdirection, thereby providing a subjective or desired support level.However, the controller may also be used to sense pressure in the airmattress via the pressure sensor in the air pump with the individualpositioned on the diagnostic mattress thereby providing an objective orrecommended support level. A support index may be generated tocorrespond to the level of support of the adjustable support structure.The support index corresponds to the numeric representation (FIG. 20,168; FIG. 21, 182, 184) of the support level as indicated on theindicator of the controller of the adjustable support structure. Thus,the support level may comprise a scale of 1 to 100 as indicated on theindicator of the controller. The support index may be displayedcontinuously and in real time on the indicator. In the case of anadjustable support structure having multiple chambers, the support indexmay also comprise a composite of the support levels indicated on thecontroller. For instance, where the diagnostic mattress comprises athree chamber air mattress, the level indicated for the lumbar regionmay be afforded more or less weight in determining the support indexdepending upon the consumer's physical attributes. In other words, for aconsumer with a heavier build, the lumbar region indicated level may beafforded more weight in determining the support index.

As will be described in greater detail below, the support index may beused as part of the aforementioned pillow selection system to assist apurchaser in selecting a pillow compatible with a mattress.

Comfort Index

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the support characteristicof a plurality mattresses having fixed support structures are furthercategorized by a comfort index. The comfort index may corresponddirectly to a level of support of the adjustable support structure. Thecomfort index may also correspond to a range of support levels orsupport indices as indicated on the controller indicator. In a preferredembodiment, the comfort index may be correlated to a support indexranging between 1 and 100 by using the following chart:

Comfort Index Designation Support Index 1 Plush  1-20 2 Medium-Plush21-45 3 Medium-Firm 46-65 4 Firm  66-100

In the above chart, one comfort index corresponds to a range ofindicated support indices. Other or additional designation categoriesmay be used, for instance, soft, plush, medium-plush, medium-firm, firm,and super-firm, and the support indices would be further defined tomatch these categories.

The comfort index may be displayed on the controller indicator (FIG. 20,196; FIG. 21, 198). Preferably, the comfort index is illuminated whenthe comfort index button 194 is depressed on the controller. The memorybutton 192 on the controller may be used to remember or set a comfortindex and/or support index, and automatically adjust the adjustablesupport structure to the set or “remembered” level of support.

As described in the parent application, a comfort index may encompass arange of support characteristics of fixed support structure mattresssystems. The support characteristic of the fixed support structure ofthe mattress corresponds to an equivalent level of support as adjustedon the adjustable support structure of the diagnosis mattress. Empiricalmeasurements may be used to correlate the support characteristic of thefixed support structure with the level of support of the adjustablesupport system, i.e., load deflection analysis. Experienced personnelmay also personally test mattresses with fixed support structuresvis-à-vis the diagnostic mattress of the adjustable support structure,and assign to the fixed support structure the support characteristicequivalent of the level of support as determined from the adjustablesupport system. Preferably, experienced personnel adjust the adjustablesupport structure until it matches the level of support sensed whenlying on a mattress with a fixed support structure.

After the adjustable support structure is adjusted such that its levelof support matches the level of support of the fixed support structure,the indicated level of support or support index of the adjustablesupport structure may be assigned to the fixed support structure as thesupport characteristic to assist the customer in selecting a mattresswith his or her desired level of fixed support. The comfort index 200may then be displayed in a prominent fashion adjacent to or on therespective fixed support structure, for instance, using a placard orbanner or by affixing a tag to the mattress as described more fully inthe parent application.

As will be described in greater detail, the comfort index, solely ortogether with the support index, may be used as part of theaforementioned pillow selection system to assist a purchaser inselecting a pillow compatible with a mattress.

As stated previously, the method and system of the present invention mayinclude a large screen display 128 and processor 130 (FIG. 17). In apreferred embodiment, a large screen display 128 may be provided todisplay the relative level of support of the adjustable supportstructure. A computer may be provided to sense the level of support ofthe adjustable support structure independently of the controller, or thecontroller may be connected to the computer. The computer may beconfigured to allow an operator to use the computer to adjust theadjustable support system. The computer may be configured to create adisplay on the large screen display similar to that found on theindicator. The large screen display may be used to assist in making thesales presentation. Other point of sale information may be positionedabout the large screen display. For instance, a kiosk (not shown) mayprovide a convenient station to house the large screen display,processor and point of sale information. The kiosk may include softwarefor storing information relating to the consumer. For instance, thesoftware may allow the generation of a personalized report of theconsumer's information including his or her level of support as will bediscussed below. The large screen display may be a touch screen graphicuser interface thereby eliminating the need for a keyboard. The largescreen display may be used in place of the controller or in addition toa separate controller. The system may interface with the retailestablishment's inventory control system to provide a consumer with alist of mattresses and pillows in stock corresponding to the consumer'sselected and desired support level. The system is also preferablyconfigured to run on a network, such as the internet, to allow thediagnosis steps discussed below to be performed at a remote location.

The mattress selection system may be seamlessly integrated with thepillow selection system described previously so that, for instance, thedetermination of a purchaser's desired level of support and comfort fora mattress is automatically inputted into the pillow selection process,or so that complementary bedding products (i.e., mattress, box spring,pillow, mattress pad, etc.) may be determined. The recommended supportlevel may also be input manually into the pillow section system as partof the pillow selection criteria. The desired support level may also beinput manually into the pillow section system as part of the pillowselection criteria.

Operation

FIGS. 18 and 19 show the sequential steps of the methods. In operation,the salesperson or a display prompts the customer to identify theposition in which the customer customarily falls asleep, i.e., side,back, or stomach. The customer then lies on the diagnostic mattress 120in that position and the salesperson adjusts the level of support of theadjustable support structure 122 of the diagnostic mattress using thecontroller 124 in accordance with the direction of the customer toarrive at the perfect setting of comfort and support as defined by thecustomer. As shown in FIG. 18, once the customer confirms to thesalesperson that the level of support of the diagnostic mattress feels“right” or that the diagnostic mattress feels “good there,” thesalesperson presses the “Comfort Index” button 194 on the controller andthe comfort index illuminates. In an alternate embodiment (FIG. 19),once the individual is positioned on the diagnostic mattress, thesalesperson may presses the “Comfort Index” button 194 on the controllerto measure the pressure in the mattress via the pressure sensor. Thepressure measurement may be correlated to a support index and thesupport index and/or the comfort index may be illuminated on thecontroller. Armed with the comfort index, the customer and salespersonhave the necessary information to complete the pillow selection process.Further, the customer and salesperson have narrowed the search for amattress.

Preferably, mattresses having support levels corresponding to thecomfort index are on display in the retail establishment, and theconsumer can chose a fixed support structure for a mattress based uponthe comfort index. The plurality of mattresses may also be grouped by aplurality of mattress categories having similar fixed support structuresupport characteristics. Accordingly, the individual's recommendedsupport level may corresponds to one category of the plurality ofcategories. Alternatively, the customer may purchase a mattress with anadjustable support and a pillow that complements the preferred supportand comfort level of the adjustable support. Alternatively, a customermay purchase solely a pillow that matches the customer's experience ofsupport and comfort of the customer's current bedding. The system myprovide a written report or visual report of the individual recommendedpillow(s) and/or a written report or visual report of the individual'srecommended category of mattresses, the comfort index and/or the supportindex.

It is not necessary to have the plurality of mattresses in the samelocation as the diagnostic mattress. The assessment using the diagnosticmattress may be made a remote location different than that of the actualpurchase.

Further, a consumer and his or her sleeping companion can each bediagnosed in the matter set forth above, and if there is a greatdisparity of comfort indices between the two, a mattress system may beconstructed having a fixed support structure on one side that matchesthe one consumer and a fixed support structure on the other side thatmatches the other consumer.

The diagnostic mattress may also include a pressure mapping systemhaving sensors to determine points of pressure as the consumer lies onthe diagnostic mattress in his or her predominant sleep position. Thecomputer shown in FIG. 17 may be configured with software to operate thepressure mapping program and display results on the larger screendisplay. The results of the pressure mapping system may be used todetermine if the consumer's desired level of support properly alleviatespressure points. For instance, it has been determined that if a sleepingperson experiences pressure in excess of 32 ml of pressure, the personwill awake from the sleep sufficiently to reposition themselves. Toprovide a sound night's rest, a consumer may wish to reduce pressure andthe corresponding frequency of tossing and turning. A pressure mappingsystem used in conjunction with the diagnostic method employed hereinprovides a cross check to ensure the consumer's desired level of supportdoes not create pressure points that exceed 32 ml of pressure. Apressure mapping system may also be used as a starting point foradjusting the adjustable support structure and naturally arriving at aconsumer's desired support level.

Integrated Pillow and Mattress Selection Program

As set forth herein, the index (either support index or comfort index)may be used as an input to assist the purchaser in selecting a pillowcompatible with a mattress thereby minimizing the risk that a customerwill purchase a pillow that is nor optimal for his or her sleepcharacteristics. One embodiment of an integrated pillow and mattressselection system is described below with reference to FIGS. 2-16.

FIG. 2 shows a screen displayed on display 128 that asks the purchaserfor what type of mattress the purchaser is shopping. The display screenincludes a set of answers to the question from which the purchaser canselect a desired mattress type. FIGS. 3-11 show examples of screens thatare displayed on the display 128 that ask the purchaser questions aboutthe purchaser's sleep patterns. The screens displayed on display 128each ask a question and provide a set of answers from which thepurchaser can input into the computer system selection criteria for thepillow selection module of the computer system. Some of the questionsand the answers in the answer set are similar to those set forth above.Preferably, the system has a graphical user interface that displaysgraphics that are intuitive and facilitate the purchaser's selection ofan answer to the question to quickly develop the selection criteria forthe pillow selection system. Preferably, the graphics also enhance thepurchaser's buying experience. It is contemplated that the system may becustomized for a retailer and screens may be changed and/or removeddepending upon the types of pillows stocked by the retailer.

FIGS. 12 and 13 provide additional screens related to developingselection criteria for the pillow and mattress based upon the age of thepurchaser's current bedding. FIG. 14 shows a graphical display thatprompts the purchaser to begin the mattress selection process where thepurchaser is directed to position his or herself on the diagnosticmattress and the diagnostic mattress is adjusted in accordance with thepurchaser's desired level of comfort. The recommended support level mayalso be determined by sensing and/or measuring the pressure in the airmattress. As described earlier, an index may be generated indicative ofthe purchaser's desired level of comfort, and may include the supportindex and/or the comfort index. After the purchaser's support level(either recommended and/or desired) is determined via the diagnosticmattress, the purchaser inputs the support level in the form of acomfort index via the display 128 as shown in FIG. 15. The system nextdetermines a recommended pillow and displays that information to thepurchaser as shown in FIG. 16. Display 128 may also display and/orprint-out in a written report to the purchaser recommended beddingaccessories that complement the recommended pillow and mattress. Thescreens shown in FIGS. 2-16 may be shown on the display 128 as shown inFIG. 17 or a display of a computer kiosk (not shown) along with otherpoint of sale information.

The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain theprinciples of the invention and its practical application to therebyenable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention invarious embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to theparticular use contemplated.

As various modifications could be made in the constructions and methodsherein described and illustrated without departing from the scope of theinvention, it is intended that all matter contained in the foregoingdescription or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpretedas illustrative rather than limiting. Thus, the breadth and scope of thepresent invention should not be limited by any of the above-describedexemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with thefollowing claims appended hereto and their equivalents.

1. A method comprising: providing a diagnostic mattress comprising anair mattress with a controller and an air pump, the controller beingadapted to control the air pump to vary pressure within the airmattress, the air pump having a pressure sensor adapted to sensepressure within the air mattress, and the controller being adapted toactivate the pressure sensor to measure pressure within the airmattress; positioning an individual on the diagnostic mattress;operating the controller to measure a pressure of the air mattress viathe pressure sensor with the individual positioned on the diagnosticmattress; correlating the measured pressure of the individual positionedon the diagnostic mattress to a recommended support level associatedwith the individual; correlating the individual's recommended supportlevel to a support characteristic of a plurality of mattresses having afixed support structure in a way sufficient to allow the individual toselect a fixed support structure support characteristic generally equalto the individual's recommended support level as determined from thediagnostic mattress.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality ofmattresses is grouped by a plurality of mattress categories havingsimilar fixed support structure support characteristics and theindividual's recommended support level corresponds to one category ofthe plurality of categories.
 3. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising generating an index representative of the individual'srecommended support level.
 4. The method of claim 3, further comprisingdisplaying the index on the controller.
 5. The method of claim 1,wherein the diagnostic mattress is a conventional air mattressconfigured for retail sale to an end-user customer without modification.6. The method of claim 2, further comprising displaying on thecontroller indicia representing the category corresponding to theindividual's recommended support level.
 7. The method of claim 1,further comprising: providing a computer system having a user interfaceand a database configured to store data relating to pillows includingpillow models; receiving a plurality of pillow selection criteriaassociated with the individual via the user interface including theindividual's recommended support level; and determining at least onerecommended pillow model for the individual based on at least one of theindividual's pillow selection criteria and the individual's recommendedsupport level.
 8. The method of claim 7 wherein the pillow selectioncriteria associated with the individual is summarized on a displayscreen operatively connected to the user interface and via a printedreport presentable to the individual.
 9. The method of claim 7, whereinthe pillow selection criteria comprise at least one of the individual'spreferred sleep position, the individual's allergy condition, theindividual's health concerns, the individual's height, the individual'sgender, and the individual's sleep characteristics.
 10. The method ofclaim 7, wherein the step of receiving the plurality of pillow selectioncriteria comprises generating a plurality of questions determinative ofthe individual's pillow selection criteria to be displayed and answeredvia the user interface.
 11. The method of claim 7, wherein theindividual's recommended support level is input into the user interfaceas part of the pillow selection criteria.
 12. The method of claim 7,wherein the step of positioning the individual comprises positioning theindividual on the diagnostic mattress in accordance with theindividual's desired position for sleeping.
 13. The method of claim 7,further comprising displaying the at least one recommended pillow modelto the individual.
 14. The method of claim 7, further comprisingdisplaying complementary bedding products to the individual based upondata input into the user interface.
 15. The method of claim 7, furthercomprising displaying on the controller indicia representing theindividual's recommended support level.